Dec. 11, 2012

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Written by

the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

MADISON — A deer from outside the boundary of the chronic wasting disease management zone in Grant County has tested positive for the disease. The 2.5 year old buck was killed and registered Nov. 18.

“It’s disappointing but not unexpected to have a CWD-positive outside the current zone boundary. This is why we have focused surveillance around the fringes of the CWD management zone, to better understand the distribution of the disease and identify the presence of the disease in periphery areas,” said DNR’s Don Bates, Area Wildlife Supervisor.

The CWD-positive was harvested near the center of the county about 6.5 miles from the border of the CWD management zone and about eight miles from the nearest positive.

This is the second year that DNR has focused surveillance around the boundaries of the existing CWD management zone. Sampling of deer is voluntary in these areas and in Grant County, DNR partners with taxidermists to collect samples.

“We thank all hunters who brought in deer in for voluntary CWD testing during the nine-day gun season and the taxidermists who helped us collect samples,” Bates said. “This cooperation is needed to track both disease distribution and trends in prevalence.”

This sampling result does not change any remaining hunting seasons nor does it change the current CWD management zone boundary. Baiting and feeding of deer is already banned in the county and will continue to be illegal.

For more information on CWD in Wisconsin, and to view CWD management zone maps, please visit dnr.wi.gov and search keyword “CWD.”